Methods and systems are provided for indicating the relationship of a displayed area on a map with respect to a route or flight plan. A method comprises displaying a navigational map on a display device and displaying a graphical adjustment element on the display device. The position of the graphical adjustment element on the display device corresponds to the along track distance between the displayed area of the navigational map and a first navigational reference point of a route comprising the first navigational reference point and a second navigational reference point.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method comprising: displaying a navigational map on a display device, the navigational map having a displayed area; displaying a graphical adjustment element on the display device, wherein: a position of the graphical adjustment element on the display device corresponds to an along track distance between the displayed area and a first navigational reference point of a route; the route comprises the first navigational reference point and a second navigational reference point; and the along track distance is measured along the route; and displaying a vertical profile on the display device, the vertical profile corresponding to the displayed area, wherein the vertical profile is automatically adjusted to correspond to a portion of the route within the displayed area in response to an adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element.
The system displays a navigational map with a visible area and a route defined by two reference points. A graphical element (like a slider) is also displayed; its position reflects how far along the route the *displayed map area* is from the route's starting point. A vertical profile (elevation plot) of the terrain within the displayed map area is shown. When the user moves the graphical element (to scroll along the route), the displayed map area changes, and the vertical profile automatically updates to match the elevation changes of the new map area.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: displaying a graphical adjustment path on the display device, the graphical adjustment path corresponding to a second along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point; and displaying the graphical adjustment element overlying the graphical adjustment path at a position corresponding to the along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point, such that the position of the graphical adjustment element with respect to the graphical adjustment path corresponds to the along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point.
The map display includes a route path that visually represents the distance between the route's starting and ending points. The graphical element (slider) sits on this path. Its position on the path shows the along-track distance of the displayed map area from the route's start. So, if the displayed map area is halfway along the route, the slider appears halfway along the route path. This allows easy visual correlation of map position to overall route progress.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises: identifying a point within the route that corresponds to the displayed area; calculating the along track distance from the point to the first navigational reference point to obtain the along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point; and determining the position of the graphical adjustment element based on a ratio of the along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point to the second along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point.
To determine the graphical element's position, the system identifies a point on the route corresponding to the displayed map area (e.g., the route's center within the visible area). It calculates the distance from this point to the route's starting point. The graphical element's position is then set based on the ratio of this distance to the total route distance. So, it finds the percentage along the route, and places the graphical adjustment element at that percentage along the route path.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein identifying the point within the route that corresponds to the displayed area comprises identifying the point within the route nearest a center location for the displayed area.
When finding the point on the route that corresponds to the displayed map area (to calculate the graphical adjustment element's position), the system identifies the point on the route that is closest to the center of the currently displayed map area.
5. A method comprising: displaying a navigational map on a display device, the navigational map having a displayed area; displaying a graphical adjustment path on the display device, the graphical adjustment path corresponding to a first along track distance between a first navigational reference point of a route and a second navigational reference point of the route, the graphical adjustment path being displayed with a first number of pixels; identifying a point within the route that corresponds to the displayed area; calculating a second along track distance from the point to the first navigational reference point to obtain the second along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point; determining a position of a graphical adjustment element based on a ratio of the second along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point to the first along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point, wherein determining the position of the graphical adjustment element comprises: determining a scale of the graphical adjustment path based on a ratio of the first number of pixels to the first along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point; and calculating a second number of pixels based on the second along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point and the scale of the graphical adjustment path; and displaying a graphical adjustment element on the display device overlying the graphical adjustment path at the position corresponding to the second number of pixels, such that the position of the graphical adjustment element with respect to the graphical adjustment path corresponds to the second along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point.
The system displays a map area, a route path, and a graphical adjustment element. The route path represents the distance between two route points, and is drawn with a certain number of pixels. The system finds a point on the route corresponding to the displayed map area and calculates the distance between that point and the route's start. The element's position on the path is then determined by these steps: first calculate the scale of pixels to distance, based on the number of pixels and the total route distance. Then, calculate the element's pixel offset by multiplying its along-track distance from the start by the scale. Then display the element at this position on the path.
6. The method of claim 2 , the display device being associated with an aircraft, the method further comprising displaying a graphical representation of the aircraft overlying the graphical adjustment path, the graphical representation of the aircraft overlying the graphical adjustment path at an aircraft position corresponding to a third along track distance between a current location of the aircraft and the first navigational reference point, such that the aircraft position with respect to the graphical adjustment path corresponds to the third along track distance between the current location of the aircraft and the first navigational reference point.
When used in an aircraft, the map system also displays an icon representing the aircraft's current location along the route path. The aircraft icon is positioned on the path according to the distance between the aircraft's current position and the route's starting point. Thus, you can see both the location of the map area (graphical adjustment element) and the aircraft's position (aircraft icon) along the same route path.
7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising displaying the graphical adjustment element with a display size corresponding to the displayed area.
The graphical adjustment element's size (width or height) is adjusted to visually represent the size of the currently displayed map area relative to the overall route.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises: determining a third along track distance for a first portion of the route within the displayed area; and calculating the display size based on the third along track distance for the first portion of the route within the displayed area and a scale of the graphical adjustment path.
To set the size of the graphical adjustment element, the system calculates the along-track distance of the portion of the route that falls within the displayed map area. The display size of the graphical adjustment element is then computed based on this portion's along-track distance, scaled by the route path's scale (distance/pixel).
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising adjusting the display size in response to an adjustment of a range setting of the navigational map.
The graphical adjustment element's size changes dynamically based on the user's zoom level or range setting on the map. If the user zooms in (reducing the displayed area), the graphical adjustment element becomes smaller. If the user zooms out, it becomes larger.
10. A method comprising: displaying a navigational map on a display device, the navigational map having a displayed area; displaying a graphical representation of a portion of a flight plan on the navigational map within the displayed area, the flight plan having a first navigational reference point and a second navigational reference point; displaying a vertical profile of the portion of the flight plan on the display device; displaying a graphical adjustment element on the display device, wherein a position of the graphical adjustment element on the display device corresponds an along track distance between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point of the flight plan; and adjusting the vertical profile of the flight plan in response to an adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element.
The system displays a map area and a flight plan (a route). It shows a vertical profile (elevation plot) of the flight plan. It also displays a graphical adjustment element, whose position reflects the distance of the displayed map area from the flight plan's starting point. Moving the graphical element adjusts the map's displayed area and, correspondingly, the vertical profile updates to match the terrain within the newly displayed map area of the flight plan.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically adjusting a center location of the displayed area in response to an adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element, the adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element resulting in an updated position for the graphical adjustment element, wherein the center location corresponds to the updated position.
When the user adjusts the position of the graphical adjustment element, the center of the map area automatically shifts so that the map is centered on the point along the route which is indicated by the position of the graphical adjustment element. So, adjusting the graphical adjustment element moves the map itself.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically adjusting the position of the graphical adjustment element with respect to the graphical adjustment path in response to an adjustment of the displayed area.
If the user changes the map area (e.g., by panning or zooming), the position of the graphical adjustment element on the route path automatically updates to reflect the new location and zoom level of the displayed map.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein automatically adjusting the position of the graphical adjustment element comprises: identifying a point within the route that corresponds to the adjusted displayed area; calculating a third along track distance from the point to the first navigational reference point to obtain the third along track distance between the adjusted displayed area and the first navigational reference point; determining an updated position for the graphical adjustment element based on a ratio of the third along track distance between the adjusted displayed area and the first navigational reference point to the second along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point; and displaying the graphical adjustment element overlying the graphical adjustment path at the updated position.
When the map area changes, the system identifies the route point now corresponding to the displayed area. It then calculates the distance between this point and the route's start. A new position for the graphical adjustment element is determined based on the ratio of this distance to the total route distance. The graphical adjustment element is then displayed at this updated position on the route path.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: correlating the displayed area and the position of the graphical adjustment element; and correlating the vertical profile with the portion of the route within the displayed area in response to the adjustment of the graphical adjustment element.
The system maintains a correlation between the displayed map area and the position of the graphical adjustment element. Because of this, adjusting the graphical adjustment element automatically updates the map area and correspondingly updates the vertical profile to match the terrain within the displayed map area.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising correlating the displayed area of the navigational map and the position of the graphical adjustment element, wherein adjusting the vertical profile comprises correlating the vertical profile with the portion of the flight plan within the currently displayed area of the navigational map in response to adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element.
The system maintains a correlation between the displayed map area and the position of the graphical adjustment element along the flight plan. Because of this, when the graphical adjustment element is adjusted, the vertical profile is updated to match the portion of the flight plan within the currently displayed map area.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, in response to the adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element to an updated position: determining an updated portion of the flight plan having a second along track distance from the first navigational reference point corresponding to the updated position of the graphical adjustment element; and updating the displayed area of the navigational map to include the updated portion of the flight plan, wherein adjusting the vertical profile of the flight plan comprises displaying the vertical profile of the updated portion of the flight plan.
If the user adjusts the graphical adjustment element to a new position along the flight plan, the system determines the corresponding portion of the flight plan that is now indicated by the adjustment. The map display then updates to show this portion of the flight plan, and the vertical profile updates to show the vertical profile of this new section of the flight plan.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element to an updated position: determining an updated portion of the route having a second along track distance from the first navigational reference point corresponding to the updated position of the graphical adjustment element; and updating the displayed area of the navigational map to include the updated portion of the route, wherein the vertical profile is automatically adjusted to display the vertical profile of the updated portion of the route.
Moving the graphical adjustment element updates the map display. The system calculates the route portion corresponding to the new position of the element. It then updates the displayed map area to include this route portion. The vertical profile then automatically adjusts to display the vertical profile of this newly displayed route portion.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising correlating the displayed area of the navigational map and the position of the graphical adjustment element, wherein the vertical profile is automatically adjusted to display the vertical profile of the portion of the route within the currently displayed area of the navigational map in response to the adjustment of the position of the graphical adjustment element.
The system keeps track of the link between the displayed map area and the position of the graphical adjustment element. When the graphical adjustment element is moved, the vertical profile is automatically adjusted so that it shows the profile of the route segment contained within the currently displayed map area.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a graphical adjustment path on the display device, the graphical adjustment path corresponding to a total along track distance between the first navigational reference point and the second navigational reference point measured along the route, wherein: the graphical adjustment element overlies the graphical adjustment path such that a center position of the graphical adjustment element corresponds to the second along track distance measured along the route between the displayed area and the first navigational reference point; and a width of the graphical adjustment element corresponds to a second along track distance for the portion of the route displayed within the displayed area.
A route path represents the distance between the route's start and end. The graphical adjustment element overlays this path. The *center* of the graphical adjustment element aligns with the point on the route corresponding to the displayed map area's distance from the start. The *width* of the graphical adjustment element then shows the total along-track distance of the portion of the route that can be seen within the currently displayed map area.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a graphical adjustment path on the display device, wherein: the first navigational reference point comprises an initial navigational reference point of a flight plan; the second navigational reference point comprises a final navigational reference point of the flight plan; the graphical adjustment path has a length corresponding to a total along track distance measured along the route between the initial navigational reference point of the flight plan and the final navigational reference point of the flight plan; and the graphical adjustment element overlies the graphical adjustment path at the position corresponding to the along track distance measured along the route between the displayed area and the initial navigational reference point of the flight plan.
The system displays a route path which represents the total along track distance of a flight plan from start to finish. The graphical adjustment element is positioned along this path to show the distance of the current map view from the flight plan's starting point.
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July 9, 2009
December 26, 2017
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